Roadwork Starts in Mifflinburg

MIFFLINBURG — People in one part of Union County will soon see a busy street closed. Crews started the second phase of a project today to revitalize downtown Mifflinburg.

A road crew directed traffic on forest hill road in Mifflinburg. It’s the beginning of the second phase of a project to revitalize the downtown. Over the next seven months, PennDOT plans to reconstruct sidewalks, curbs and a one mile long stretch of Chestnut Street, also known as Route 45.

“It is definitely going to hurt our foot traffic. There is no way to get around that. We do have parking in the rear, but I just think for the customers to get downtown it’s going to be difficult,” Kay Stamm said.

Stamm owns Stamm House Holiday Reproductions, which is on Chestnut Street in Mifflinburg. She also lives next door to her business. She understands why the project needs to be done, but she is worried her business will suffer while Chestnut Street is closed.

“Maybe I’ll be selling hot dogs in front of the store to the construction guys, I don’t know! Something is going to have to happen. It’s going to be our life for quite a few months now,” Stamm said.

The project will not just affect people who live and work on Chestnut Street, the traffic will be detoured here onto Market Street. The people who live on this normally quiet street say they are concerned about the increase in traffic.

“It’s going to be inconvenient because we won’t have parking on the street for several months while they do certain sections,” Kathy Bohinski said.

Not everyone is worried. Ken Snook and his wife own Little House of Books, which is on Chestnut Street. He says there are several parking lots close-by.

“I feel if people want something it’s not going to kill them to walk three blocks,” Snook said.

PennDOT says the detour in Mifflinburg should go into effect within the next two to three weeks, and the work should continue through October.